The Trollhaunt Warrens
14 Second Seed, 91 AN - 24 Second Seed, 91 AN The Heroes consulted with Zangeon the Whitesmith, one of the Mages of Saruun, about the importance of the necklace Vyrellis imparted to Arauka. They set out for the Silver City of Celduilon by way of Moonstair, in the Barony of Therund. On their first night in Moonstair, the heroes encounterd Etheran Vel’Movrymm Vel'Perenon and his companions at the Cloud-Watch Inn. Upon discovering his aunt's necklace in Arauka's possession, the two groups of adventurers nearly came to blows, though (surprisingly) Ivgaar was able to defuse the situation. Ivgaar learned that Etheran was on a secret mission, though he would say no more, and the Heroes were left to take the necklace to Celduilon. They met with Kelana Dhoram, the Mayor of Moonstair, for whom they did not particularly care. '' “She was an incompetent bureaucrat, incapable of seeing the shadows that moved around her. For all her cleverness and knowledge of trade, death would have met the people of Moonstair under her watch, if it was not for our intervention. Strength is the only true principal of leadership.” – Ivgaar, Ruler of the Thunderspire The real asset in the city was Rualiss of Celduilon, an ambassador of the Eladrin kingdom living in Moonstair. Rualiss guided the adventurers through the Moon Door, into the Fey Wild, and to Celduilon. On their way, however, a menagerie of powerful trolls and fomorians ambushed the party. Though the monstrosities were vanquished, one insidious little drake managed to grab the necklace from Arauka’s iron grasp. The Heroes arrived in Celduilon without the necklace and were met with a cold reception by King Palenthior, who was disappointed they had lost his family’s heirloom. “I reminded him we wouldn’t have lost the necklace had the roads been better defended. He didn't like that!” – Rasic, The Dragonslayer Princess Saffrenia Movrymm of Celduilon approached the' 'party independently of the King and his council, for she feared that the attack by the trolls and fomorians bode ill for the fate of the Silver City and the world beyond the Moon Door. The Party was lead to a secret rendezvous by the Princess's niece: a wizard named Lorathuil Movrymm. In a seedy area of Celduilon known as the Old Battery, the heroes learned of the Crimson Outcasts, a group of outlaws seeking to uncover corruption within the heart of the eladrin city. The meeting was cut short, however, and the group was ambushed by quicklings, impossibly fast and vicious fey creatures, for reasons that were not clear at the time. This, by in large, confirmed the Princess’ suspicions that something was afoot, and the Heroes were brought to Sharrin, the Legendary Crone of Celduilon and the War of the Dead. The wizard Lorathuil Movrymm joined the Heroes as an emissary and assisted them in combat from here. Sharrin revealed to our Heroes that fate was indeed conspiring to bring them towards a grand confrontation with the forces of evil. Sharrin imparted many secrets that day and ultimately convinced them that they were the Godsworn, Chosen of the Gods, and it was up to them to uncover the sordid details of Orcus’ nefarious plot. An excerpt of the prophecy: “…The Raven's Queen fall here foretold, death and fate by Another controlled, The Era of Ravens will have its end, the Dead the earth to walk again. “ – Sharrin, The Crone “The Crone’s words rang through to the deepest wells of my heart. I knew that Kavaki was watching, and destiny demanded of me this service: to destroy the Blood Lord and all of his forces and protect the cycle of life.” – Ivgaar The full extent of what she revealed to them remains a secret kept by the Godsworn, but we do know that this was the tipping point in the journey, and the point that they moved from being our Heroes of the Vale to the Godsworn. 22 Second Seed, 91 AN Chapter 4: The Troll King The Godsworn also learned of Mross-Kagg, the great fortress of the the trolls in the Fey Wild and its connection the Material World in the Trollhaunt. It was likely that a new troll king was emerging in Mross-Kagg, which accounted for the troll’s new found coordination and aggression. The Godsworn journeyed back to Moonstair to warn Etheran but it was too late. A gang of ferocious trolls arrived at the entrance of the Trollwall of Moonstair and tossed Etheran’s head over the Trollwall. The party visited this appalling display with a righteous assault on the trolls, soundly defeating them. Before they fell, the last of them revealed their new Troll King Skalamad was in the Trollhaunt, organizing the trolls against the people of Celduilon and Moonstair. The high priestess of Moonstair and Althea of the Godsworn attempted to resurrect Etheran using his remains, but their rituals were unsuccessful. Upon their second failed attempt, the heroes were confronted with a shadowy apparition that resembled a dragon, which claimed Etheran's soul for its own. Despair quickly spread through the city on the tail of the news of the loss of Etheran and his compatriots. They knew they would have to journey into the Trollhaunt to discover the Warrens, the secret location of Skalamad, if they had any hope of stopping the trolls and recovering Etheran’s soul. Equipping themselves with weapons that harnessed the magical essence of fire, the heroes set out into the swamps known as the Trollhaunt. 23 Second Seed, 91 AN - 24 Second Seed, 91 AN Chapter 5: The Trollhaunt Warrens ''“The mist clung to us as a foreboding miasma. The dewed grass was eerily luminous in the morning as we awoke in the ruins of the troll city Bravak. We gathered ourselves and departed for the Warrens not knowing if we would survive. I wondered why the Light demanded me of this service.” – Althea, High Priestess The Godsworn encountered Baxx in the Trollhaunt ruins and rescued him from an onslaught of trollwild monsters. Baxx was a solider and defender of Etheran, the only survivor of Etheran’s journey into the Trollhaunt Warrens. He was shaken by his experience, discouraged to his very core, and the party, at first, did little to empower him. But he was still useful, and provided them with sufficient direction to the Trollhaunt Warrens. “When I first met the Godsworn, they held me in contempt. Ivgaar and Rasic thought I should have fought to my last breath. It was unsettling.” – Baxx. The Heroes assaulted the Warrens brazenly and bravely. They obliterated the fortified entryway, overwhelming the initial defenses with their primal, divine, martial, and arcane prowess. The Trolls quickly learned of the strength of the Godsworn, and rallied their forces throughout the Warrens to assault the heroes. The forces of the Warrens fell to our heroes, one great beast and troll after another. The black dragon Gloomfang and troll shaman Norgg were the only survivors of the warrens, because they did not dare challenge the Godsworn. Skalamad faced the heroes from his blackened metal and onyx throne, but fell their might. The troll king, however, would not be so easily defeated. Skalamad's body evaporated from the Material Plane and transported to the Feywild fortress Mross-Kagg, where he had rallied a troll army to assault Moonstair and Celduilon. The heroes, peering through a strange arcane portal that seemed to be equal parts crystal and machine, witnessed the formidable troll army amassing at Mross-Kragg. The party quickly sealed the portal, though they knew this would only delay the inevitable, as they could not prevent the trolls from re-opening the portal from the Feywild.